Winding-indicator for timepieces.



No. 744,456. PATENTED NOV. 1711 903.

y W. A. AUMEN. WINDING INDICATOR FOR TIMEPIEGES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Wihyzss z a by I I r I 35 the clock is completely wound.

Patented l l'ovember 17, 19.03.

PATENT SPEGIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Extent No.

'1 44,456, dated filer ember 1'2, 19573.

Application filed February 10, 1903, Serial lie. l. l",73. No mode-ii) fo :tZZ whom; may concern." Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. Annnrz, citizen of the United States, residing at W'oodsbow, in the county of Frederick and 5 State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Winding-Signal Attachment for Time pieces, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My invention relates to signal attachments x for timepieces; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts here in'after described, and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to improve I devices of the class above mentioned by simplifying the operating mechanism thereof and by so arranging the parts thereof that the signal will be displayed some time before winding is absolutely necessary and after 2o being exposed to View a considerable period Will be withdrawn as the timepiece runs down, the special purpose of this action being to call attention to the immediate need of wind ing when the timepiece is nearly run down,

and yet to give notice before that winding will soon be required.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of portions of the clock frame and face with my winding-signal and operating mechanism therefor attached, the parts being in the position assumed when the signal has justbeen displayed. Fig. Bis a view, also in elevation, showing the parts in the position taken when 3 is a View, also in elevation, showing the parts as they are when the clock is nearly run. down and the signal is being gradually withdrawn.

In all of the above -1nentioned figures corresponding parts are indicated'by thc same characters of reference throughout.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters; represents the frame-supportin operating mechanism of a timepiece.

other, are loosely mounted to rotate on a rigid pin 5, which projects from a blocl: 'Z. This 2 designates the winding-post, having block '7 is attached screws 0 able means to the frame 1 at s the i will mesh with the y the winding-posts of lhe timepiecen the upper end of the block '7 is a projection 8, which has pivotally connected therew' l an arm 9, at the free endof which is mounted a plate 10, hearing a suitable legend, such as Wind me. the position indicated in Fig. l, the plate 10 is exposed to View through the slot 11 in the clock-face. Pivotally connected with the plate 10 at the end where it joined iotlie pivoted arm 0 is a bifurcated pawl 12, nor mally held in the position shown in l by means of a spring 1-3. One ofthe prongs ii on the pawl is adapted to contact with the periphery of the cam (i before'the display of the winding-signal and the other 15 to coning-signal when it is being gradually withdrawn from VlGW.

I The operation of my winding attachment is as follows: The gears 3 and 4C are so proportioned that the number of turns of the winding-post 2 and gear 3 attached thereto required to completely wind the clock-are sufiicient to produce a single complete rotation of the gear-wheel l, its shaft 5, and the cam carried thereby. When the clock is completely wound, the parts will all be in the position shown in Fig. 2, the plate 1 O carrying the legend, which is di layed when it is desirable to wind the time 5., being concealed from view behind the dock-lace and the prong ll of the pawl 1 Aug in contact with the cam 6 at the point inaikcd A. As the clock gradually nnwinds the gear -land the cam 6 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, and when the prong ll of the pawl passes the point ll on the cam. the pivoted arm is allowed to drop downward under the inliueuce of gravity, brii 'ng with it the plate 10 and displaying the signal through the slot ll in the clock-face. This display of the whirling-signal may be timed by suitably forming cam 13 to any de sired interval before the clock completely unwound. For example, the average one-clay clock will run for thirty hours on one wind- When the pivoted arm 9 is in hinding- J tact therewith after the display of the windit has run about twenty-four hours, thus preventing the clock from running slow when the spring is nearly unwound. In clocks of this character, then, the time takeni'or the 5 pawl 12 to pass from the point A on the periphery of the cam to the point B as the ol e1; unwinds would be twenty-four hours, and the time taken for the pawl to travel from the point B to the point A, which it would reach again when the clock was completely unwound, should be about six hours. *It is obvious that if the clock is designed to run for a longer time a proportionately greater interval between the display of the signal and the complete unwinding of the clock may be provided by suitably proportioni ug the parts of the cam 6. Ordinarily in eight-day clocks it is desirable to have the signal displayed after the clock has run seven days, thus giving a whole days warning before the clock is completely unwound.

It will be observed that after the prong ii of the pawl passes the pointB on the periphery of the cam and displays the signal for a considerable period thepawl lies out of contact with the cam, the portion of the periphery of the cam then under the pawl being an are on such short radius that the pawl is not long enough to reach it. After the signal for Winding has been displayed for a considerable period, however, this portion of the periphery of the cam passes from under the pawl and the prong 15 comes in contact with the portion of the periphery which formsthe rise from the are on short radius to the are on long radius with'which the prong 14 contacts from the time the clock is completely wound until the signal for winding is dis- ,played. During the time required for the passage of the prong 15 up to the point A the signalis beinggradually withdrawn, and if the clock is not wound before theprong 15 reaches the point A the unwinding will be come complete and the clock will stop.

It will be observed that parts of my winding-signal attachment are few, that the at tachment may be readily'positioned on a clock without modifying any portion of the clock- .works, and that action thereof is positive and cannot be readily put out of order or prevented from operating in aprop er manner.

v By providing for the display of the windingsignal considerably before the clock is con.-

' pletely unwound any variation of the speed fronrbeing allowed to run while the tension of the spring very weakis prevented, and by providing for the gradual withdrawing of the signal as the time for winding grows shorter attention is a second time directed to the fact that winding is desirable if .the'signal has not already produced the desired result.

ilavingthus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isl l. The combination in a winding-signal attachment for timepieces of a pivoted arm, a signal carried thereby a cam rotated by the unwinding of the timepiece, and a springpressed pawl pivotally mounted on said arm and having its free end in contact with said cam.

2. The combination in a winding-signal attachment for a timepiece of a pivoted arm, a signal carried by said arm, a cam rotated by the unwinding of the timepiece, and a pawl mounted on said arm and in contact with said cam, the cam being so formed that the pawl passes out of contact with the cam and permits the'display of the winding-signal be fore winding is necessary, and again contacts with said cam to gradually withdraw the winding-signal from view before the timepiece is completely unwound.

3. The combination in a winding-signal attachment for timepieces of a pivoted arm, a

signal carried thereby, a cam rotated by the unwinding of the timepiece, and a bifurcated pawl pivoted on said arm, one prong of said pawl being adapted to contact with the cam before the display of the winding-signal and the other prong of. the pawl being adapted to contact with the cam to withdraw the signal from view before the cloct: is completely unwound.

In testimony that I. claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' i NM. A. AUMEN.

Vfitnesses W. R. GILBERT, BENJ VV. SAXTEN. 

